Therapeutic vibrator and massage device



Jan. 5 1943. w w. L.1WETTLAUFER 4 THERAPEUTIC VIBRATOR AND. MASSAGEDEVICE Filed May 31, .1940

INVENTQR MY/l'am L. Weflhufer BYWW.

ATTORNEY 1 Patented Jan. 5, 1943 THERAPEUTIC VIBRATOR AND MASSAG DEVICEWilliam L. Wettlaufer, Bufialo, N. Y., assignor to Niagara Units,Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May31, 1940, Serial No. 338,021 2 Claims. (Cl. 128-36) This inventionrelates to a therapeutic device which may be used for combined massageand vibratory treatments.

The invention is directed to a roller massage device in which isincorporated a novel structure for a motor-driven vibratory element,wherein the handles and roller body, although carried by the vibratoryelement, are separated therefrom by vibration dampening devices. As aresult, the intensity of the vibratory treatment may be varied at thewill of the operator by the application of more or less manual pressureto the handles of the structure.

The invention is further devised with a View to economy in production,and effectiveness and quietness of operation, as will be more apparentfrom a perusal of the specification and drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the outer portions of thedevice;

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

The device consists of a frame or enclosed vibratory unit It! whichincludes an electric motor ll having end brackets I2 and I3 secured tothe motor by screws 14 and I5, respectively. The brackets may beintegral or welded to the motor. Tubes l6 and I! are rigidly secured tothe brackets l2 and I3, and such tubes are disposed in axial alignmentwith the motor axis. The motor shaft llb carries a fan l9 which isaffixed thereto by a nut 2|. It will be understood that the motor casingbrackets l2 and i3 and tubes l6 and I1 are intended to form a rigidunit, and therefore such parts may be an integral unit or formed andassembled in other manners.

One of the fan blades has a weight 20 secured thereto to provide for acondition of dynamic unbalance when the motor is running, in which eventthe entire frame structure will be vibrated at a high frequency.

A housing 23 encloses the motor H and brackets l2 and I3, and it alsoserves as a roller massage element, as will presently be understood.This element consists of a metallic cylinder 24 capped at both ends byend plates 25 and having a covering 26 of ribbed soft rubber. The plates25 contain axial holes 27 for receiving short gum rubber bushings 28.The bushings in turn receive the tubes l6 and IT. to provide a radialconnection between the housing 23 and vibratory unit [0. Rubber or corkwashers 29 are interposed between the brackets IZ and I3, and the plates25, to provide axial or thrust connections. 55

It will be observed that the bushings 28 and washers 29 may be made of anon-resilient bearing material when rotation of the housing relative tothe vibratory element is desired.

The plates 25 are formed with a plurality of other holes 3|, whichprovide air inlet and outlet passages. It will be observed that anannular air gap 30 is provided between the motor II and the cylinder 24.This provides for the passage of air, induced by the fan [9, from leftto right, with a cooling elfect on the motor, and the continuousdischarge of the air through the right hand plate 25. The bracket I2 isformed with legs l2a which straddle the fan 19 in order to permit thefree passage of air to and from the fan.

The connecting wires Ila for the motor II are extended through the righthand tube l1, and they may terminate in a suitable pronged electricalfixture 20a.

The projecting tubes 16 and I! are covered with rubber sleeves 35 andsuperimposed sponge rubber sleeves 36, which assembly forms a pair ofvibration insulated handles with the tubes serving as a structural base.

The device is capable of being used in several manners. For example, itmay be used as a massage roller by gripping the handles lightly enoughto permit slippage, and rolling the housing 23 over parts of the bodyrequiring treatment. In this instance, the reaction of the vibratoryunit I 0 will be transmitted to the housing 23 with little dampeningeffect, while the hands will be shielded to a considerable extent by thesponge rubber covering of the handles. When therapeutic treatment of thehands is desired, the handles may be gripped forcibly, thus compressingthe rubber and causing the transmission of strong vibratory impulsesthrough the handle portions. It will also be apparent that only the lefthand handle may be gripped, while the right hand handle may be used forface, neck or scalp massage'with a degree of severity determined bythepressure applied to the treated portions.

It will be noted that the device may be operated with entire freedomfrom mechanical noises, since the relatively movable parts thereof areshielded by interposed rubber members.

While I have disclosed my invention with reference to one specificembodiment thereof, it will of course be understood that the inventionis susceptible of numerous modifications and variations withoutdeparture from its principles, as shown by the scope of the followingclaims,

I claim:

1. A therapeutic vibrator comprising a hollow cylindrical body memberadapted to be externally covered with resilient material, end plates forthe body member having centrally disposed and aligned apertures, saidend plates being connected to said body member, an electric motordisposed within the body member in spaced relation to the inner wallthereof, bracket portions mounted on each end of the motor a dynamicallyunbalanced fan rotatably mounted within the body member on the shaft ofsaid motor, handle members extending through the apertures in the endplates, the inner ends of said handle members being secured to saidbrackets, resilient bushings interposed in said apertures to engage theportions of the handle members passing therethrough, and resilientcoverings for the exposed portions of said handle members.

2. A therapeutic vibrator comprising a hollow 20 cylindrical sleeveadapted to be covered with resilient material, end plates positioned ateach end of the sleeve and connected thereto, said plates being formedwith aligned central apertures, a motor disposed within the sleeve inspaced relation to the wall thereof, said motor having a shaft alsospaced from said wall, a dynamically unbalanced weight mounted on theshaft for rotation therewith, said weight being freely spaced from thewall, brackets secured to the motor at each end, one of said bracketsstraddling said shaft and weight, handle members extending through theapertures in said end plates into the

